16 Investigates: Chimney Repair Complaints

LACKAWANNA COUNTY -- The recent spell of frigid temperatures and high winds left many homeowners worried about damage to their chimneys, but experts advise being careful about the company you hire to repair your chimney.

One local chimney repair business has left a trail of legal judgments and angry customers.

Former customers of Irish Sweeps of Scranton took the company and its owner to court for what they call shoddy and dangerous work on their chimneys.

The customers we talked with wish they checked out the company before hiring its workers.

Winter days and nights can be frigid, then balmy, then cold again within a week. The contraction and expansion that leads to cracked roads and potholes can also lead to cracked chimneys.

Joe Yasinskas' chimney needed repairs in 2012. He hired Irish Sweeps to install a liner that now snakes across his backyard in Olyphant.

"My chimney is 26 and a half feet," Yasinskas said. "This one is only 25 feet."

His chimney has now a new different liner. He says the foot and a half shortfall on this old one led to a blockage.

"It could have filled my house completely with smoke and with carbon monoxide," he said.

In Edwardsville, Sean Wolfe has to seal off the chimney atop his home. Smoke from his furnace now leaves a vent on the side of his home. He says he made the change after workers from Irish Sweeps only put four feet of liner in his 30-foot chimney resulting in a chimney clogged with ash build up.

"Carbon monoxide was going into the basement and into my attic. And that had been going on for months," said Wolfe.

These two homeowners in Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties are among six who took Irish Sweeps and owner Daniel Brennan to court over the past five years. In every single case, customers won.

"Still can't collect," Wolfe said.

"I would love to have the money back that I believe is owed to me," said Yasinskas.

Yasinskas even called the Better Business Bureau because his bill indicates Irish Sweeps is a member, but the BBB's website gives Irish Sweeps an "F" rating.

"I don't have an 'F' rating, no," owner Daniel Brennan said. "It's not an 'F' rating. I can call them up right now."

We called the BBB confirming his "F" rating. We also found out Brennan has never been a BBB member.

Charlie Brown

trucker

Anonymous

Smh he has wronged way more people than these 3. Others just don’t know. He steals from their garages.when he does work he charges them for supplies that cost a lot and then buys less expensive ones. He prob does this because of his known crack problem

Russ

This Irish Mick is an embarrassment to the heritage of other good folk. The system takes too long for reimbursement. Retaliation should be swift. Victims should be swarming his remaining assets NOW for spoils. The old days were better – perps feared the outcome of “not making things right” immediately.

KingstonGuy9

O'Really?

Bill K.

Just love how if a private individual tries to sue a business “it’s a civil matter” and the DA/police won’t do a damn thing to help. But if I steal a $1.50 candy bar from Weis Markets the police are called and I’m lead away in handcuffs. The DA files charges and I’m thrown in jail. What’s the difference between the two cases? Well, in one case it’s a private individual. In the other case it’s a business calling the police. If the business call the police they do the detective work and the DA handles the legal work.